Five money laundering accused flee abroad
Five out of 23 accused in the money laundering through fake accounts case have fled the country, media reports said Monday. All the five accused were said to have been playing key role in the opening of fictitious bank accounts. Media reports claimed that the accused fled the country soon after the registration of a case against them by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). Earlier on Monday, a startling revelation was made regarding the fake bank accounts opened in the name of a dead man being operated in Karachi with transactions in billions. MONEY LAUNDERING CASE:The FIA is investigating over 30 people in relation to money laundering from fictitious accounts, including Pakistan People’s Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 15, 2018 18:42 UTC
CDA to weed out employees having fake, dubious degrees
It is pertinent to mention that previous attempts to get the degrees verified have met with defiance from the administration and the human resource departments. The ongoing process to get the degrees verified has till to date shown mix results. Total non-gazetted employees who have submitted their documents is 3067, of which 2997 were verified. Sources said that 98 degrees of the employees were found bogus, forged and dubious and after the process is completed, the departmental inquiry will be initiated against them. Interestingly, 351 of the vacant positions include posts of gazetted officers of 17, 18, 19 and 20 grades.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 15, 2018 17:48 UTC
ECP asks by-election winners to submit detail of expenses
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday asked all successful candidates of the October 14 by-polls to submit a detail of expenses incurred by them during electioneering. The successful candidates will have to share details of their election expenses with the electoral body within the next 10 days. The ECP has issued instructions to the returning officers who will have to inform the electoral body after successful candidates submit their details. Other candidates who contested the by-polls will have to submit their details to the ECP within 30 days. The ruling party was unable to retain the two seats won by PM Imran Khan in the July 25 general elections.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 15, 2018 17:48 UTC
IHC extends Dr Shahid Masood’s interim bail
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has extended the interim bail of Dr Shahid Masood in a corruption case related to the Pakistan Television (PTV). Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiani took up the case for hearing on Monday. At the inception of the hearing, Advocate Shah Khawar appeared on behalf of the petitioner who prayed the court to give more time for the appearance in trial court. The court, while accepting the plea, extended the bail before arrest till October 21. The court disposed of the petition after ordering the petitioner to appear before the trial court till the said deadline.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 15, 2018 16:52 UTC
FIA team offloads US citizen from flight
ISLAMABAD: A Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) team offloaded a US citizen from a private airline’s flight for staying beyond the prescribed time. Etha Dan, a US citizen, was offloaded from flight Q-633 on early Monday and shifted to an unknown place for investigation, according to media reports.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 15, 2018 16:52 UTC
Govt forms parliamentary committee to probe rigging allegations
ISLAMABAD: The federal government Monday constituted a 30-member parliamentary committee, as demanded by the opposition parties to probe alleged rigging during the July 25 pollsAccording to a notification issued by the National Assembly speaker, the committee will review allegations of irregularities in the general election and present recommendations for ensuring further transparency in the election process. The committee includes 15 lawmakers each from the government and opposition parties. Pervez Khattak, Shafqat Mehmood, Shireen Mazari, Fawad Chaudhry, Tariq Bashir Cheema, Azam Swati and Amir Dogar have been included in the parliamentary committee, according to the notification. Last month, the government and opposition parties had agreed on the formation of the committee to probe alleged rigging of July 25 polls and a resolution was passed in the National Assembly in this regard. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Khan had presented the resolution for the formation of the committee, which was then passed by the assembly.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 15, 2018 16:52 UTC
Pakistan Navy’s maritime exercise begins in Arabian Sea
KARACHI: Opening brief of Pakistan Navy’s (PN) Major Maritime Exercise Seaspark-18 was held on Monday which was graced by the Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi as the chief guest. All operational units of Pakistan Navy including ships, submarines, aircraft, UAVs, Special Forces and Pak Marines along with elements of Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA), Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) also participated in the exercise. The exercise, spanning over two months, is being conducted in the Arabian Sea all along Pakistan Coast from Jiwanithe to Sir Creek. Pakistan Navy is combat ready and fully committed to protect national maritime interests during peace and war. The exercise Seaspark-18 would therefore, provide impetus to Pakistan’s resolve of maintaining peace, security and stability in the region.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 15, 2018 16:41 UTC
Ahmed Yar Hiraj to head PM’s inspection team
ISLAMABAD: Sardar Ahmed Yar Hiraj has been appointed as the head of the prime minister’s inspection team, said a statement issued by Prime Minister’s Office on Monday. Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain along with Sardar Ahmed Yar Hiraj had called on Prime Minister Imran Khan at the PM Office.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 15, 2018 16:41 UTC
Bar association to boycott legal proceedings over Siddiqui’s removal
KARACHI: The Karachi Bar Association (KBA) has announced to boycott the court proceedings on Tuesday to record a protest against the removal of Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui on the recommendation of Supreme Judicial Council (SJC). KBA President Syed Haider Imam Rizvi said the decision to boycott the legal proceedings was unanimously taken at a meeting of bar association’s managing committee held on Monday. Rizvi said the removal of the IHC judge was “a serious issue which raises questions on the independence of judiciary”. The council rejected his plea and declared that Siddiqui violated the code of conduct by accusing the state institutions. Earlier on Oct 13, the Peshawar High Court Bar Association (PHCBA) had welcomed the decision to remove Siddiqui.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 15, 2018 16:41 UTC
China to support Pakistan in fighting corruption
Welcoming the minister, the prime minister said that the “all-weather friendship” between Pakistan and China holds particular significance to the people of Pakistan. On his upcoming visit to China, the premier stated that he looked forward to his meetings with the Chinese leadership. PM Khan added that Pakistan would like to learn from the Chinese experience in poverty alleviation, fighting corruption and agriculture development through sharing expertise, technology and best practices in the sector. He said, “The China International Import Expo would provide an opportunity to the two sides to look into export possibilities from Pakistan to China.”Chinese Minister Song Tao underscored the importance attached by the leadership and people of China to Pakistan-China relations. He assured China’s support to Pakistan at all regional international fora, as well as in addressing the agenda of poverty alleviation, fighting corruption and agricultural development.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 15, 2018 16:18 UTC
Rao Anwar, others sent notices regarding bail cancellation plea
KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday issued notices to former Malir SSP Rao Anwar, DSP Qamar Ahmed and Sindh prosecutor general to submit their replies on the application seeking rejection of their bail in Naqeebullah murder case. The application was filed by counsel Faisal Siddiqi on behalf of Naqeeb’s father. SHC directed them to submit their replies till 5th November. An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) had granted the bail to Anwar and former DPS Qamar Ahmed Shaikh in Naqeebullah case. The applicant stated that ATC had granted the bail to Anwar and his co-accused without listening to their viewpoint.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 15, 2018 16:07 UTC
Court allows Punjab govt to sell Dar’s three plots
ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Monday handed Punjab government the authority to auction off the assets of absconding former finance minister Ishaq Dar in a case pertaining to the possession of assets beyond known sources of income. According to details, the accountability bureau has submitted its report over the possession of Dar’s three plots revealing that plots are in the name of Ali Mustafa Dar, Tabussam Dar and Ishaq Dar, however, Dar’s vehicle could not be ascertained. The accountability court has ordered the sale of Dar’s three plots and handed over their possession to the provincial government. The progress report on the auction of former finance minister Ishaq Dar’s assets was submitted in the accountability court on Wednesday. The seizure of Dar’s assets was ordered after he did not appear before the accountability court in a case pertaining to the accumulation of assets beyond known sources of income.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 15, 2018 15:56 UTC
Billions found in fake bank accounts of dead man in Karachi
KARACHI: After a series of mysterious deposits in bank accounts of several unsuspecting individuals across the country, another transaction worth billions of rupees was detected in fake bank accounts of a man, albeit a dead one, from Karachi on Monday. Iqbal Aaraiyn, who passed away on May 9, 2014, had three bank accounts mysteriously opened under his name after his death. A total of Rs4.6 billion worth of transactions were found to have been conducted through these fake accounts, sources familiar with the matter said. Hyderabad driver wakes up a millionaire after a mysterious depositA number of deposits such as this have surfaced in recent days, as the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) continues its probe in a high-profile money laundering case involving fictitious ‘benami’ bank accounts. An unsuspecting man from Hyderabad recently woke up an overnight millionaire when he found Rs49,954,432 listed on his ATM slip.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 15, 2018 15:11 UTC
Saudi-Turkish team inspects consulate where writer vanished
American lawmakers have threatened tough punitive action against the Saudis, and Germany, France and Britain have jointly called for a “credible investigation” into Khashoggi’s disappearance. Officials in Saudi Arabia did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Saudi Arabia may have agreed to the search in order to appease its Western allies and the international community. However, it remained unclear what evidence, if any, would remain nearly two weeks after Khashoggi’s disappearance. President Donald Trump has said Saudi Arabia could face “severe punishment” if it was proven it was involved in Khashoggi’s disappearance.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 15, 2018 15:00 UTC
The defeat of populism
A too early assertion of the incumbency factorUnrealistic promises made before the elections would haunt the PTI throughout its tenure. Normally it takes months and years for the voters to start losing confidence in the party they had voted into power. The by-election results have revived hope and self-confidence in the PML-N leadership. After being bailed out in the Avenfield case, the results are the first good news for Nawaz Sharif and his party. Will the PTI leadership be able to overcome their inflated egos?
Source:Pakistan Today
October 15, 2018 15:00 UTC